"Post-pandemic, last-mile reliability will be a fast-growing area of infrastructure investment."

The Expoquimia trade show, organized by Fira de Barcelona, held the conference “Reindustrializing Europe: Chemistry, Energy, and Competitiveness in a Multipolar World” today at the Foment del Treball headquarters. The event, attended by nearly 200 participants, positioned the chemical industry as a key infrastructure for the green transition and European strategic autonomy, warning of the impact of high energy costs, overregulation, and the difficulty of scaling up European industrial innovation in the face of pressure from the United States and China.

The event -introduced by the director of Expoquimia, Xavier Pascual- was attended by the Minister of Enterprise and Labor of the Government of Catalonia, Miquel Sàmper; the General Manager of Fira de Barcelona, Constantí Serrallonga; and the president of Foment del Treball, Josep Sánchez Llibre. All of them agreed in emphasizing that the chemical industry is a cross-cutting driver of the economy and an essential pillar for strengthening the continent’s industrial competitiveness and productive sovereignty.

This event highlighted  the Spanish chemical sector as one of the country’s major industrial drivers, with a turnover of 85,417 billion euros, accounting for 12% of industrial GDP and supporting more than one million direct, indirect, and induced jobs. Furthermore, it has established itself as the leading exporter in the Spanish economy, with nearly 74% of its revenue coming from foreign markets, and as an industrial leader in innovation, quality employment, and investment in R&D&I.

The event included a panel discussion featuring leading executives and representatives from the chemical sector. Participants included the president of the Catalan Business Federation of the Chemical Sector (FedeQuim), Joan Roget; the General Manager of Quimidroga, César Lacueva; the Managing Director of BASF Spain and BASF Portugal, Francesc Simó; the General Manager of Industrias Químicas del Óxido de Etileno (IQOXE), José Manuel Segura; and the president of Expoquimia, Carles Navarro.

The Foundation of the Green Transition

The speakers argued that chemistry is not merely a sector affected by the ecological transition, but rather constitutes the very foundation of the green transition. The chemical industry is essential to more than 95% of industrial value chains and is key to the development of strategic products such as batteries, semiconductors, wind turbines, green hydrogen technologies, and advanced healthcare solutions. Despite this essential nature—comparable to that of basic infrastructure—the lack of social and political recognition of its role was highlighted, which hinders decision-making on industrial matters.

One of the central themes of the dialogue was the risk of Europe losing its strategic autonomy. In recent years, the continent has seen its production capacity in basic chemicals decline, with the closure of numerous industrial plants, creating a dilemma between producing domestically or relying on third countries, particularly in Asia.

Executives have warned that, without a solid chemical base, Europe is ceding control of the start of all its value chains, compromising its industrial sovereignty. In this context, the sector’s stronger performance in Spain has been highlighted, as it has recovered and even surpassed pre-pandemic levels, in contrast to the decline in activity seen in other European countries.

Energy costs have been identified as one of the most critical factors affecting competitiveness. Business representatives have warned that energy prices in Europe are two to three times higher than those in the United States or Asia, placing industry at a clear disadvantage.

In this context, the so-called “energy trilemma” has been raised, which requires balancing sustainability, stability, and competitiveness. Speakers emphasized the need for sources that guarantee a continuous supply for energy-intensive industrial processes, in combination with renewable energy.

Decarbonization was addressed as an essential process, but one that requires massive investments, realistic technological solutions, and regulatory consistency. Among the transition tools mentioned were CO₂ capture and storage, as well as improvements in sustainable logistics, where rail plays a key role, although it remains constrained by a lack of reliability and investment in infrastructure.

Regulation, Infrastructure, and Innovation

Another major obstacle highlighted has been overregulation and the administrative burden, described as a veritable “regulatory jungle” that hinders investment and industrial agility. Regulations such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), certain national tax policies, and growing traceability requirements generate additional costs and complexity, and in some cases lead to the relocation of production outside the EU. Speakers called for regulatory simplification, greater administrative coordination, and political courage to implement key infrastructure projects.

Likewise, the disconnect between European scientific excellence and its ability to scale industrial projects was highlighted. Although Europe leads in knowledge production, many innovative initiatives end up being developed outside the continent due to a lack of funding and the slowness of administrative processes, especially in sectors such as biotechnology.

Expoquimia 2026

This event served as a prelude to Expoquimia 2026, the leading trade show for the chemical and process industries, which will take place from June 2 to 5, 2026, at the Gran Via venue of Fira de Barcelona, alongside Equiplast. Both trade shows are expected to bring together around 800 exhibitors and attract more than 21,000 visitors, with a focus on innovation and the sustainable transformation of production processes.